Apparatus for making cast-metal wheels



June 24, 193@ F, w BURGER 1,765,755

APPARATUS FOR MAKING CAST METAL WHEELS Find Aug. 1o, 1925 2 Smeets-sheet4 1 June 24, 1930.

F. w. BURGER 1,765,755

AlPARATUS FOR MAKING CA-ST METAL'WHEELS Filed Aug. io, 1925 2 sheets-sheet 2 t Patented June 24,y *1930k f Y FEDEIoI-r miroiterie; ori l:NI-,LEs,f:MmmGAN,'A AssIGNoR To CLARKv QUIMENT sont,

,Y YPANY,OFLIBUCHANAN, MICHIGAMZAeoRrdRATIoNoFfMrcHIGAN Y ,'My v irwention- "relates, toy rkthenelllllfapture of y'east inetal Wheels IComposed `of ansp'ider Ahaving a hub portion and integral. spokes Serial N o; 49,161", A, led1 August" 10, 1925,* for v an improved Agrietli'od ofv manufacturing i rmethod bywhieh thefroughealstingof 'the' VI'nensons, so that'it is'lready tfo Ihavefa rim applied f thereto in. thevmanner .set` forth in f the patent above 'referiredv to', to* Edmund' 1C, Mogfordand-myself, "by .a pressing operation," Which -reducesthe Ainaehiningjoost', and

'erreurs a fureheleonsideable 'saving byL eli-A Ininating* the leXtra inaterial'usually allotted wheref castings :are tofbe 'maehined andfinyv i present lapplication has vto do with" the Aap# 'paratu's' usedin `practicingsuch method Itv hasf'or its objeetyto'l provide improvedmea'ns f by P which the 'spider fr'nay be 'compressed' lat-k eral-'ly to Vfinished 'shape vand;l dimensions, and l at/the Isame tiine the endsly of the spokes majr Vbepr'operlyl shapedfarid/ sized 'to-v rece'iye the trated 4in l the drawings fand. l as yfliereina"fter described'. l/Vhat I regard asneiv" issetforth' -panying drawingsl "have illust-ratedlm'y in:

.vention applied" tor vthe production* of al spiderl .such as that` slrownv andjdesferibed "in the aforesaid patenti-@Edmund CgMogford' and myself,r the use? ofmy improved/r apparatus is not llimited. 'toi finishing spiders ofv that connection j -Wth'f spiders of other suitable designs,or for anylother purpose'for which 't'isj V111l the iaccornpan'yii'rg*draWiIgsH- 4 "1* Fig. A'3 showing rnyQilinprojezd 'apparatus with I, an untreated spiderf in position be' operatedk upon;

" the iiianufaoture' of referredv t,'t`ll1 .e V*spider is cast as ,ai unit out *of4 malleable Y iron `orV steel, :The rough' east-fA F'ffisa similari View showing rtllefpo.e

of-"the parts shownin Fig. 2l; W

Fig. 4 is a partial enlarged vertical sec-v sitiioi'o the parts" at end Vfof the y operaf planifie,paruyfbfoken'mj i View` showing the same i ingljcomprises aholjloivvv hub'portion 7 lpro-" r vided Wthaeentral cylindrcal'pas'sage 'or bore 8 "so thatits annularin form; From thehub portion 7 asuitable number o`fhol' loW rspokes4 9 radiate'These spokes-Fare preferably frust'o-coniealfin for1n,''a'sI shown inlFi'g.-3','their broad,bases'inerging-into the outer lWall-l0' of the hub 'portion 7,-*a`sv shown i:

,fnjFigsi'f;*and'4.y The inner' Wallfll ofsueh hubfportion ispprovided With-,a cireumfer'en f s tial groove 12in-'its 'innerf'faod preferably ,v

approximately midway between the opposite sidesofvr the spider, andthe oppositefface of the' inner-Wall llfis rounded for bulged opg.

It'w'llb understoodfthat by the-inner face `j of the innery` Wall 11i referfto the face neXtg.

torthe :aXisofthe spider. y The side vWalls 14E,v 15V of the', s'pidena're preferablyf flat rand are parallel Witheach other, as'shown Seid` figure.

The yseveralspoke-e119,are' provided at ltheir f outer'lends Withi'laterally extendingpadsor f v- Y.

seats 1G on Which1 thel'wheelfrinl'rests afterv the 'assembly ofthe rimWith the-spider has been effected. f I Irtljie` rough Casting these of V` greater 'radius rl than the radius fofv innerfj surface@ of the .Wheel rim', but' Aas 'they are ldesfgined to fit snuglypajgainst the inner` s surfacefof-'thewyheel rirnvv/henjA it ishapf' plied tof`the spider, it isfnecessarylthat 'sueh outer'su'rfaces bevrounded orv reduced, as

l on 'relatively large radii, so'that they lie to the icurvatu`re'-of the die'l9.

ly,v when rthegspider isl lowered to a certain in planes that'are substantially tangential to the curvature of the wheel rim andalso Consequent point, 'the pads vkwill engage the inner ysurf'ace of the die, thereby arresting the descent y30 engaging the'upper rsurface ofthehub portion thereof, while the marginal .portion 'Y ginslof the pads 1,6. The furtherdescent ofy the spider.

Continued downward movement of theV rain will permit thedischarge ring 33v to'y continue lits descent, leaving the spider supportedbyV the die, until yat length Vthe follower 28 will come into contact with the upper surface of the spider, the blo-ck ofthe follower willrengage the upper mar- V` fofv the ram will consequentlyr force ,therspider downiinto the narrowerypart of the' die,

vthereby applying pressure .to rthe pads 'to curve` themv into `conformity with lthe curvature of thedie, so ,that they .then assume the shape shown".inzFig.`v 6. vAs the' spider is carried down into the die, the llower .face of its hub portionrcomes into Contact with Y the blockf25, the` parts then being in the positionsh'ownl in Fig. 2,"so that the hubV rportion is' compressed between they blocks but of course they `arethick .the requisitestrength; 1

25 and-*30. The pressure k:tliusapplied t0 Vthel .spider reducesthe thickness of the .hubl

portion vto an Aextent y'determined' by the height of the stop block, and at thesame time the upperand lower inarginalportions ofY the `pads are `cornp'iesse df'tof the Vdesired finished dimensions. `Thefpurposeof prop viding the groove'12 in `the inner-Wall of the hubportion ofthe spider uis to get away from Aa continuous cylindrical wall `and allow all .distortions -to takeplaceV at the curved portion, thereby making `Ait r,possible to" press the hub togetherfslightly iiiorder Vto `reduce it to ythe proper thickness, as well as `t'o make the twosides parallel --andv .iron

them out. Thef inner andioutenwalls'l and rl() of the hub portionv are made comparatively thin to facilitatethis operation, enoughto have n;y '.Wiii be man um; ,the niet f stepf of 'i forcing the spider into the circular die 19 Vsizes and shapes all ofthe "pads'simultane-v l' "ously, and in so doingsets Iup inwardly ractfing pressures in the entire spider.v Thel second `step of thereafter applying pressure tothe opposite sides of thev hubfporti0n in an axial direction-.sets uplpressures inthe are@ spokesand' padsfgacting out-wardlyfin the spokesfytending to force the pads out against the 5 sides Yof the ring die with anyl increased rpressure. This naturally follows Vfrom- Vthe; compression .ofY the hub portion, owing-to the factthat Vthe annularA form ofthe inner'wall .11' andthe considerable mass of metal' therein will substantially prevent inwardl 4'conf tractionjof the hub portion; Moreover, the

fracture.

smoothed; out.

bulgedor V-sliaped cross-sectionof theouter wall l0 will result in the axial compression ofthe hub portion reacting outwardly asa vradial thrusting pressureV tending -to force rthe pads out against the sidesof the circular o diefTh us the latter step of compressing thehub portion serves the two-fold purpose of sizing and Vshaping' the hub portion and also of creating outwardly acting pressures The advantage gained' by creating these outwardly acting pressures in the sp okes.

is illustrated in the case of a spider wherein j one spoke is slightly shorterthan .the others.

YThe `initial step of forcingy thespiderinto Athe vring Ydie'maynot subject this :spokefto the same, amountof`inwardly acting pres; sure as itwillthe other spokes. However,

the vsecondary step A of compressing the hub l .portion will fset up outwardly acting lpres-` lsu'res inthe short-erspoke which-will cause the same to be pressed.- outwardly against the lcircular die-1 9 with the required pressure rto shape vand Asize the pad thereof 1eorre spondingly withthe yother pads. `It-,will bel noted .that at no rtimein ythe' entire die Aopera# tion dogeitherv ofthe die parts contactl with the: intermediate portionsof the sp ,okes,.an d, p hence, the spokes are only. subjectedtovendwise' compression stresses -whic h-;the are capable of sustaining, without `possibilityv g of 7 Afn'interesting phenomenonoccurs lasV result of the above described operation lof` compressing the spider, which phenomenon aids Vmost decidedlygxinf producing -a'gmore durable wheel. The `act of rcompressingtthe spider app:trendy:stores.a potential orin'- herent elasticity-in fthe:molecularstructure v thereof, which is released by 'the actionv of vibration, with the resultthat spider tends and maintaining a 'heavy pressure grip with fijoo i ito return to yitsfformer size, thereby` creatingfflo y the felloe surrounding thespoke ends. yConsequently'in avwheel built upof one ofv these Y compressed spiders, fthe jar andgvibration f inherent in the use of, thefwheel permits the spider to increase in diameter, so that the spider 'actually :b ecomestighter-in thefe1loe as the wheel' isbeingused;

Fromthe foregoing description seen that by the single pressing operation nessandl. its sides. are made-parallel Fand vdescribed #the correctfdiameter across ,.thelvn. Y l l spokes isproducedandtheputerfacesof Y i the padsaare caused Lto confoi1n-tofa'true ,circle ,i Aat. the saine time :the hub portion of $1206 'the' spider is reduced 'to thelpropersthickhardened steel at the points where it engaged by the pads of the spokes.' rrrIhese shoes are shown at 37. They are merely hardened steelVV blocks inserted in vertical Y [grooves inthe diering 19 so thatthey may .be removed and' replaced if necessary, or

instead rvof replacing them they may' be set =up to compensate,v for wear 'by means Y of gshims used in the ordinary way. r

to vsecure by Letters Patent, is` Y "11. In lapparatus forv sizing and fWhat I claim as niyf invention and wheelspiders of integral huband spoke constructiomqthe conibinationofa ring die hav# Ying a conical surface at theou'terend ofthe die anda substantially cylindrical surface extending from said conical Vsurface baok into thedie adjacenttothe inner end thereof, a followerhavinga Vthrusting surface atfits outer-edge,1adapted.to bear againsttheV ends of the'spider spokes yatthesidefe'dges fthefef means for Producing relative mai movement between said ring die andV said f Vfollot'venV for forcingv ther spider axially into 725i and to'fshape the-peripheral portions of the Vspokes byrrelativej transverse sliding Vmove- 'sai-dring die to compress the spider radially jment of the spokes'facrosssaid conical and said substantiallyV cylindriealfs'urfaces" ofthe ring-die, and 'coacting V die surfaces on said follower'and'at the innerend of saidring for compressing thefhub Y'portion of the lspiderf and thereby-eXpanding the spider y 1 radially "after, said Yspider Ihas 'beenjforced between the spiderandsaidtapered die sur.

into'' the "substantially cylindrical inner por- '2.- An 'apparatus' Vv'for r"shapingwheel" spi?l ders comp'risinga'feniale die having-tapered die Vsurfaces adapted to `'contactvdirectly with yfemale i die whereby the relative "movement faces transversely across the Vperipheral -portionof the. spider -will irst shapelthe'pe Y ftherhub,portionof the spider therebetween e Y j afterthe spiderlhasbeenffOrCed'tOf'the Lend ofits axial movement in'-saidfemaledie..V

Anapparatus for 'shaping wheelrspi- 4[ders:comprisinga ring diehaving 'an out- 5V 'wardly: flaring "opening at one end for cen# teringv the -spi'derf and Vhaving dieV surfaces ofgreater Vdepth than the peripheral :width y fof'thespider, means foreausin "finovementfY Y fofVV said spiderinto "said" die for -radially :Q pressing@ the peripheral "portions fofifsaid desire shaping pressures inthe spokes of the spider foraid- Ysizing the peripherall H for shaping wheel spiend,'follower means cooperating with said ringl die, means causing lrelativemovement between said ringrdie `and said follower means to force the spider-through the flared open end and back towards'the closed Yend y'ofzsaidring diewhereby "the relative movement between the ring Vdie andthe spider in a direction transverselyY across the spider radially* presses the vperipheral rportions of said spider, and meansassociated'-with said ring dieand cooperating with said follower Vmeans for laterally compressing? thefliubv Aportion of said spider only after said spider j Y has been forced entirely within said ring die.`

Y An apparatusfor: shaping wheelspi-fg e derscomprising a ring die having substan. tially cylindrical side walls and alaterally divergent opening at thevv outer portion thereof, follower vmeans for forcing: the spider into the g divergent opening ofsaid ring'die, means for producing relative movement between said ring die and said Afollower means, saidfollower means 'exertingpres- V l sure on the spoke ends and hub portion of the spider? without exerting pressurefon the intermediate portions ofthe spokes, v a 'block l YVadjac'er'it the opposite end of said ring` die and coope'ratingwith said follower-means for exerting lateral pressure onrsaidv hub :106'

portion, and stopmeans for limiting the eX'- to force the spider Vinto-fone off 'said fdies,-and

been forcedf tent to which saidliub portion may be come pressed.vv Y f 1 y f G. 'An rapparatus' for shaping. wheel spi l ders'lcomprising a pair.'of", dies,'mean`s foij1`05 causingrelative vmovement between lsaid dies meansengaging thej outer' portion ofr theY spider and utilizing 'the'relativeseparating 5 movement between said dies for.ydisch arging .11o` the spiderfronrtliedie into whiclrit VVVhas*V Y 7. An apparatus forlsliaping'wheel spielement,means for producing/relative move tween! saidA elements Vfor-fdischarging" the fderscomprising a ring die'elenienaa follower' :i

f11'715" `ment betweensaid elementsfinV the sizingfg operation, and "means :engaging thejouterf ends of the spokesof said'spider vandutiliz-A 'in'g'the relative separating ymovement be-V :120 spider 'from thejsamefendfof said l-ring 1die f Y elementiinto whichit liasbeen forced; "l j "gitii apparatus for AshapingV -wlieel spii lders'comprisiiifrfniale and female dies`s'uper,` i' posedone yabovethe otherwith the lower -gdie 'held substantially stationary and` the-*upper Y die supported jfor 'movement relative thereto for-'forcing the rspider intoithe female die, ai.;discl'iargeY member for discharging .fthe spider'v from said femaleV` die, and means l :filo

adapted toi extendv ythrough the ispider 4for supporting said diseharge-,mernber from said upper movablefdief- A :A apparatus forshapingwheelspiders comp-rising ra.cireulairfdivelement, a.`r Cofoperating-die elementfmeans: for 'causing y relative lmotreliieritbetwe'e'r'i said elements for jfrom-sad 'female-fdie,and= supporting rods Alforf/"frsaid vdischarge f member* vexte'riding fthrough holes; in thef upper die fornmovably forcing the spider yinto said-.circular idie element, axdisehargey member utilizing the lrelative separating motion lbetweenQsaid f die f elements fori discharging the lspideny from said circular die* e1'ement-,and .lost motion vsupporting;ineans for A .supporting said rdischarge member on one of saidy die ."elements. Y V10.` An ,apparatus for ek shaping".` wheel *slpid'ersr` 'comprising fmale" andV` female VVdies -superposedf' one aboye fthe bisher, means for.

'causing yrelative'movement between said dies ,for r,foreing'the'l spider f into said rfemale die, aidisehar'ge membervforfejecting the spider vsupporting sai'drd-iseharge member thereon.

:ders Comprising.;male`1 andv femalwetv'diesf superyposed oneabove the other'with` th'ellower die fhe'ld `substantiallyv stationary and fthe upper die supported -for` movement relative tliereto7 aI discharger member' 'for Iej'ecting 'the' spider charge memberA Aand .passing loosely up through openings in the .upper diev forfsuspendingsaid discharge member'- from said upper die. 'A

12.` Ank apparz'itusL for 'shaping wheelj v spiders comprising a follower, means moving Vwith the follower. forsupporting thespider below the followerga block adaptedto bear v against 0oneLsi-de of the" hub :portion of the Y' spider, and a blockfoarried by thexfollower and adapted to bearjagainst'jthe other'sideV i i fof said vhub .portion =.if6o

spiders comprising` follower ,f meansA y suspendedrgfromfthe follower-for supporting thfefspidem a ringkdie, andgmeans for.l afctu f ating :the follower; to-gmovethepspider intov saidfsdie toshape.y the peripheral Vfp.ortions.

. V13. Anh apparatusl spiders yComprising 'a'ffcxllov'ven:means:` mov-' A l vable relative to the; followerfforfsupporting the spider from the follower, a' block adapted to bear against one side ofthe hubportion f 'l Aof thespider, abloek earried'bythejfollower for applying lateral pressure thereto;

and adaptedl ,tofbea'r'I against the other; vside .y f kof saidf'hub portion fforapplying ylateral i jlowergto move-the vspideifinto said die ytof' pressure' thereto, a ring dienoncentriewith saidk blocks, rand `means kfor actuating the y fol,-

Vshape the peripheral portions thereof and said" blocks. 'F .1145. vAngvr apparatus,

'portion-'sf gage'ment 'with the yopposite side of vrsaid hu-b. i

portion; A:to compressl `the Jsame :between said vbloek'sjl- 11g-Y f 'i .17. @An 1. apparatus i for w shaping., wheel lring die, f meansV :fori aotua'ting saidy vfollower. `to `Inove':1the spideri laterally into saidi'die y, .Y jhubpjortionaofft .for fshaping V@wheel l v'spiders .ringadapted toysupport'ith'effspidermeans i jconneetingsaid discharge ringE wi-thfthe fol; d Alonfe'r5ito move: toward.andvfrom.thefsiameg'1a-f. ring dia/and `means;v for? actu thereoffand t withdraw thespider fromf said die. f l .y *y

1'* :15. lAnf.iqjparati'i's for '.shaping Lwheel spiders, comprising :a' follower,I means suspended fromthe follower'for slvippor'tingz4 A the spider, a-ring die,=means` for actua-ting "70 vthe followento move thefspider into 'saiddie rto shape the peripheral portions thereof,

and ,to withdraw the spider from said `die,'a` n e blookv adapted-to bearyagainst one side-of the yhub portionffofgfthe-spider, and` a block Y 7'5 carried `-the followerv 1 and movable, -into 1` engagement .with the opposite side vof said vhub portion and Cooperating -with. said first spiders comprising y' aj. follower,` Y a means suspendedffom'said follow-erfoi' supporting the spider, said supporting means being mov:-

able'toward and from the? follower, airing die, and means.' forfactuatingsaidqfollower -to lnovetlie"spider .laterally into said die to shape the :peripheral portions :thereof 18.*1An.:apparatusfifor-shaping vwheel --spiders cornprisifngg a follower, meanssuspended, from.-'said"1follower ;-k for; supporting the spider, saidfsupporting; means' kbeing to'shapef'the: peripheral' portions thereof, 1 blookadapted to bear against;onesidelofthey` Y. y .i

' "gspider, and ay block earriedzfyo Y.

s and4 movable into?'.:enga-,g'fe-y l mentcwitlythyopposite sidgef'of said hub porlower tol-moyegjsaidi `fcli'sch arg s ider laterally, .finto f said die me 'ffomeefe y' again's'tfthe yopposite ISide :"Siid Yhub Vpor- 1 tion. 'I

e siispedinguthe discharge ringfron the fol.- loweiito movetowajdr and from''the Seine,'a ,block ailaptedto beer-against one ,side ,of Vthev vhubportion 1' of the Spider; ailolock'; carried i0 by 'the follower adaptedto'jrbear fgainstthej '-*encl-.meanSon actuating-the"follower to V*move sa'd discharge ring and theyepider llat- Q orally'into'Said'fde'ftoshpefthe peripheral 1:1'5 portions-of the spiderjendCompresgthehub portion thereof between said bloclsf y f i 22; Inapparatus forslizing and'ehaping i ljl integrally caetfwheel "spiders heforeithey V'are' y mounted''in theffwheelj.felloesjfthe combina- 20"'t'ioi'iaofa ring die -havinga vconi-cal surface atthe outeren'dthereofand esubstfmtially Y j? cylindrical 4surface 'extending from 'snidlconlic'al-surfece back intothe die;` 'Said surfaces Y beingof greatergdepththan thegperpheral ,diam-eter; than said-cylindrical surface"Y for V,nioyingl int'oifrsaid *ring dief-saidrfollower Y havingqafthristing'Surface'atitsoiitei edge eda'pted xtozbeer against'the ends; of the o 30 Y:SpiderL 'spokes "at l the side edgesv thereof7 A ment betweeneaidring die Yand seid follower forforingthe spideraXiellyQinto said ring Y 'K die to compress thespider'frediully an'dto by'relativetrensverseslidingcmovement of .Y thespokes acroes seid-conical"andsaid siib- A c steu'ltialllyI cylindrical surfaces vofthe ring Y. i y @diefendcoactingdie'surfaces onsald fo-l- I il or lowergand atthezneiendof said :ringdie zind the die; ai follower. .having a thrustingVr fsiirT f oppositer'side of Sitidhiibfportion, 'a ring die',Y

Y y ,die surfaces. on 'n said "follower Vagn'dfnatgthe Width vof' theI Spiderga follower. offlesser Y meansfor'p'roducing relatvelaxielfmove-' shape the`Y peripheral `po'rtion'siof n'thepokesY cylindrical siirfaces vof'thevring" die, coacting c f die surfacesk on 'said follower and Vattvjthe inner end vof said ring diefor compressing l i `the hub *portion of the ,spide'iyv after Y saith i spideithas been" forcedint the substatn'tially :cylindrical inner portionof' they/ring.die," y E fand. stop' means forflimitngt-he extent to'Y rwhich f said :lihportioii SheV reoinpressed'.'V y 24;,Inzipparatns for` sizi'ngfand"shaqain'g `[integrelly Vmet Wheel spiders .before they are :moiinted .-in theywheel fellees, the combinationof aeringvdiehaving a vc'onieelfsiir-V face atth'eouter-endof the`v die, Vaffollower Y*having a:thrS'tntgfnsurface.y adapted tobeai' againstfth'e ends ofthe spiderepokes ait :the f ysideiedges thereohmeansffolprodncigrele ativeY axalgnoveinentbetweensaid vring 'die 7 and 'us'aid1 follower for forcing; :the Spider axiallyinto Saidfringfdie tocompress1theA spider radially and; toV shape- ,the25peripheril,r vportions of the Spokes by .relative transiersle` A Vsliding movement of thepolev endsierloss' inner end of Seid ring diefor; comprejssing ,.theJhub-,portion offtliespiderfafter gsaid je spider` beenI -forced Linto the.; inner poiz- Y,

ftion .of @Said ringeV die, the die surfaces: -o'f Y v1 saidring die comprisingshoes/ setat ingu-i *larly Vspacedpointe-"in .the ring diez/tol be engaged by the'A ends of the Spider spokesl *Y FREDERICK@ BURGER;

-facefaclapted'lto bea-rl agaistthe endsfOif :the Yj f 

